Freelance journalist and Independent political activist, open to offers in both capacities. Contact davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Accepts PayPal.

Saturday, 15 July 2017

To Come Into Effect

How is Tony Blair still a member of the Labour Party? I mean, what does he have to do?

And people wonder that I have no desire to be one. The party of Tony Blair and Simon Henig is welcome to the pair of them.

Much hilarity at the Durham Miners' Gala a week ago, as several far more important people warmly shook my hand and spoke to me, while Henig could not even bring himself to look at me as he wilted in the shadow of the prison where he will be residing this time next year.

But, much as it pains me to say it, Blair has a point. It is perfectly conceivable that Brexit will never happen under this incompetent Government, although it is also perfectly possible that that is the intention.

A Bill needs to be introduced, separate from the ludicrous Great Repeal Bill that would in fact turn the United Kingdom into a colony of the European Union, and to come into effect immediately, not "on exit day" or what have you.

That Bill would need to have five clauses, to come into effect regardless of whether or not, as becomes less likely by the day, we ever actually withdrew from the European Union.

First, restoring the supremacy of United Kingdom over European Union law, using that provision to repatriate industrial and regional policy as Labour has advocated for some time, using it to repatriate agricultural policy, and using it to restore the United Kingdom's historic fishing rights of 200 miles or to the median line.

Secondly, requiring that all EU legislation, in order to have any effect in this country, be enacted by both Houses of Parliament as if it had originated in one or the other of them.

Thirdly, requiring that British Ministers adopt the show-stopping Empty Chair Policy until such time as the Council of Ministers meets in public and publishes an Official Report akin to Hansard.

Fourthly, disapplying in the United Kingdom any ruling of the European Court of Justice or of the European Court of Human Rights unless confirmed by a resolution of the House of Commons, the High Court of Parliament

And fifthly, disapplying in the United Kingdom anything passed by the European Parliament but not by the majority of those MEPs who had been certified as politically acceptable by one or more seat-taking members of the House of Commons.